The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-06-17

ing they'd stow themselves close enough.
OF course felt puzzled. At last 1
wondered IL some poor fellow had not
taken this method 70 obtain a ride. But
decent man would have asked me for q
ride and taken IL mfortably.
/" My next idea was that somebody
had got in there TO sleep. But this
passed away a. quickly as II came. for
no man would have broken into my
cart for that purpose. And that thought.
gentlemen. opened my eyes. Whoe, er
was in there had broken in
MY next thoughts were OF Mt. Dick
Hardhead He had heard me say that
my load was al sold out and of course
he supposed that had some money with
me- And In this he YVES right, for / had
over s., 600.
II also thought that he meant to leave
the cart when he supposed had reached
safe place. and either creep over and
shoot me or knock me down, or perhaps
slip out and ask for q ride. or something
of.that sort
"AIl this passed through my mind by
the Time / had got q rod from the hole
Now, / never make il q point to brag
OF myself, but yet ! have seen a great
deal of the world. ami am pretty col
and clear-headed under difficulty. In
q lew moments my resolution WIS
formed
My horse was now knee-deep In the
mud, and l knew ! could sip of without
any noise. So l drew my rcvoIyer-I
never travel In that country without it
it is a six-barreleI one and sure fire. 1
drew this and having twined the reins
about the whIpsLock, / carefully slipped
down into the mud, and as the cart
passed on l went behind 1t aud exam
ined the hasp.
THE door of the cart lets down, and
is fastened 10y hasp which slips over u
staple, and - then secured 10y IA Vadlock.
The paddock WAS gone, am the mas was
secured IL it, place by a hitoi pine stick,
so that a slight push from within could
break 1t.
My wheel wrench hung n 4 leather
bucket on the side OF the cart, and
quickly took it out and slipped il into
the staple, the iron handle just sliding
down.
Now had him. My cart was
almost new, with a stout frame Of white
ok. and made On purpose for hard
usage, heavy loads amt srryic-- ! did
not believe that any ordinary Al could
break out.
- got on TO my cart as noiscIe sly as
got OF, and then urged ~ hor7. on,
stun keeping my Pis OI handy. l knew
that at the distance OF hati Il mic fur
ther l ; could come L, u good ha:d road,
ana allowed my horse 10 pick his own
way through this mud.
- 1t Was about zen minutes after this
that heard motion in the cart, fol
lowed b. grinding noise, as though
some heavy force We're Icing - Piled 10
the door. This continued -umts moments
aud then came a heavy Ia mp. - I!.u4.h
the sole OF u boot were api lied 10 TIE
door.
al said nothing. but the idea struck me
that the villain might try 10 Judge about
where 1 sat, and shoot up through the
top OF the cart at me, SO ! sat down on
the foo.board
"Of course / knew now that nv unex-
pected passenger was 4 villain, for he
must have been awake ever sine, start
Ell, and nothing else in the world but alb
solute villainy would have caused him
10 remain quiet so long and then start
up in this particular place.
" The humping and pushing grew
louder and louder. aud pretty soon /
heard a human voice:
Lot me out OF this he cried, and
he yelled pretty loud.
lifted my head up 30 as to make
him think that was sitting in my usual
place. and then asked him what he was
doing In there.
Let me out and III tell ye, he TO
Toll me what you're In there ,or.'I
" 1 got In here to sleep on your rags.
.'' How'd ye git I'M / asked.
Let me get out, or Ill shoot We
through ne head, ne yelled.
just at thai mome.lt my horse's feet
Struck the hard road, and / knew that
the rest OF tie route 10 jackson would
be good goi &. The distance - as twelve
miles slipped back upon the foot
board and took the whip.
hal -
now; tall, stout. powerful bay mare. |
and you may believe here some go In
her. AT any rate, she struck . gait then l
That even astonishtd me She had a
Soou mess OF oats, the night air WAS /
cool. and she felt like going. In fifteen
minutes We cleared the woods, and away
We went a. h grcs., pace
Inc chap inside kept yelling to be
let out, and threatening To shoot il 1
IL la let hIm out Finally he stopped
aiid IN Few moments came the reports
)i pistol, one. two, three, four one
aSht after the other, aud ] heard the
1alls wIliz over my head.
II l had been on my seat, one of
hose balls. IL not two OF them mus
lave gone through me.
popped up my head again and gave
yell and then deep groan, and then
said:
30, save mel I'm a dead man.
linen L made shufiling noise as
houSh l were falling of, and finally set
led down again on the fUot-board.
= now urged up the old mare by Civ
a; her an occasional poke with tine butt
u lhe whip, ana she went along iaster
han ever
Tue man called out to me twice
lore pretty soon after This, and as he /
OF no repIy he made some tremepdou.
no, aNors 10 break the door open, and
$ t"IS faii"d him he made several at
smpIs upon the top. But u;Id no f,..,rs
MS DOING anything the4e, Tor the top
l my c"rt - framed III witu dovetails
nd e.ch sleeper boiled To the posts with
L IrO bolt / had II ma q 50 that /
Ou4I Curry heavy loads there
bE ana by, aIt'r all else had failed
ne scamp cOmmeu g / TO uollcr whoa
the horse, anu Kept 1t up Until he be-
anne ho. rsc.
" , Al Al this time kept perfectly quiet,
, -ilnS The reIns tirmiy anu pokiug the
asst with the whip.
- uc WASH all il@ur in going that
Ozon miles, nOt d brL OF it,
itstuA much 4Cs-r, prThapS l might
IL tAv lruIh d"C sas l Ea4 none, for
al u good pistol, nd mo = than that
y pasScEScr Was safe, Yet L did feel
'iI When came TO L. old uour l.arreI
ctory 'iiat stands 1T the eGge 4 jack
/ village. and In ten minutes more I
iled up In front OF the tavern and
nj couple OF men cleaning down
ne stage horses
Well. old feIler. says /, as / got
vn and went round 10 he back Of the
son, you've ma 4 good ride, haven't
Who are your he cried, and his
ce trembled little, too, as he asked ]
question.
1 am the man you tried TO shoot,
him.
Where am II Let me out he
ed.